It’s always worked for me, and as there are always creative outlets in most of the companies I’ve worked for, I’ve always enjoyed it. I’ve written sales letters, brochures, newsletters, annual reports, PowerPoint presentations, and press releases for print and electronic media within the scope of my many jobs.

I liked the structure of dashing off to the office and putting in a full day, then dashing home to my studio/office to work on my latest project while dinner warmed.

The transition to 100% freelance has been a bumpy ride. For a long time, I missed the office hustle, the deadlines, the daily interaction with co-workers.

When I was first laid off, I wrote a little less, and painted a little less – the urgency of squeezing in my creative endeavors around that daily grind was gone. It took awhile to hit my stride, but I need/want more to do.

I’m open to both. I take freelance work, and I’ve taken some temporary office assignments and the odd client, that wants me in-house and under thumb.

My bottom line is The bottom line, so if anyone out there is in need of or knows of anyone in need of an excellent freelance writer and/or an executive assistant, with considerable credentials and a creative bent, I’m here, ready, willing and able.

Since I took the below photo in December of 2007, I’ve added one more card to

Perle's Cards

my collection (Jefferson Title). It hardly seems worth mentioning – my time there was so fleeting. The economy has not been kind to the real estate market, which is the meat and potatoes of the title insurance business. I was barely there 9 months, when I and 4 others were laid off (hate that term).

The photo was taken when I found a cache of business cards at the bottom of a desk drawer as I dug for a red editing pen.

I was amazed at how many there were.

After adding my last corporate card from Saks Incorporated and my newest Perle’s Ink card, they totaled ten and these are only the ones I saved. I’ve worked for myself and for others since age 17, but still ten cards in 40 plus years seems alot.

Whether I moved or was downsized, I’d immediately sign up with various temporary agencies. I usually had an assignment within a day or two at most. My skill set and work ethic always resulted in permanent job offers. I am able to enter any workplace and own the job; I do whatever the job requires, as if I’d been with that company for years. It’s a gift that serves me in any job market.

Being downsized in May of the year I took the photo, I took some time off to write, paint and reflect. My writing didn’t bring in as much as I spent, so I put out the word and had three offers by year’s end. I chose JT and for better or worse, 9 months later I was out of a job.

Fortunately, I took Suze Ormond’s advice, I have an emergency fund. But it is dwindling fast, unemployment is running out, and I actually miss the energy of being in an office.

Later – have resumes to send out, networking to do, and an e-book on spec to work on.